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Roy volunteered and was inducted into the Army on March 9, 1943. He completed basic training at Fort Meade, Maryland and then Camp Edwards, Massachusetts where he received additional training as a medic attached to an Anti-Aircraft Battalion. Prior to his induction and continually there after, Roy requested flight training with the Army Air Corps. His requests were granted and Roy started training in the Air Corps Officers Cadet program at Maxwell Field in Alabama, later he continued onto Buckingham Army Air Base in Fort Myers, Florida for flexible gunnery. His final phase, transferred him to San Marcos, Texas for aerial navigation graduating as a 2nd Lieutenant on January 19, 1945 at the age of 19. At first he was attached to a flight of Martin B-24 bombers, but after several months he was shipped out towards the Pacific theater. However, the war ended and Roy found himself stationed within occupied Japan at Tachikawa Air Base assigned to the 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Group, 54th Wing of the 5th Air Force. As part of a 4 man crew flying C-47 transports their mission was to demobilize the Japanese military establishment in a squadron denoted as the "The Tokoyo Courier " which carried VIP's and high ranking military or government officials throughout Japan. His service in WWII ended on January 18, 1946.
However, on June 19, 1951, Roy was recalled from inactive duty for the Korean War Conflict. He reported to Langley Air Force Base, Virgina for training with the newer Mcdonnell-Douglas B-26 twin engine bombers. While there he received updated training in navigation, the Norden Bombsight, the Shoran bombing system and techniques in aerial observation. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 8th Bombardment Squadron of the 3rd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force at K-8, Kunsan, South Korea. There he flew low level night missions against supply trains, trucks, and factories. Originally slated to fly only 35 missions the situation required they fly 55 missions before being rotated back to the states where he was assigned to Westover AFB in Chicopee, Ma. There he flew supply missions to Thule, Greenland as navigator on Douglas "Skymaster " C-54 cargo planes. He left active duty on November 18, 1952.
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